Coyotes spotted at Columbia University

February 7, 2010 5:31:04 PM PST

Eyewitness News

MANHATTAN --

Three coyotes were spotted Sunday morning on the Columbia University campus in Morningside Heights. The NYPD responded to the report, and an officer saw one of the animals and confirmed that it was indeed a coyote.

The university sent an email to students to alert them of the situation, and to warn them not to approach the coyotes if they saw one.

Students seemed more amused than frightened by the prospect of an encounter, with one joking that they could make nice pets.

It's not known where the coyotes came from. A few weeks ago a young coyote was captured in Harlem and taken to the Bronx Zoo.